Chart for Tipping Percentages

For those who aren’t exactly all that math-savvy (like myself) it’s nice to have an easy reference for tipping when you’re in a restaurant. This tipping chart shows the correct percentages depending on the bill total.

In my time working in a restaurant, 20 percent was considered pretty customary for a satisfied customer. Sorry, grandma and grandpa, but ten percent tips just don’t cut it anymore. If you’re happy with your service, 25 percent and more is observed as a nice tip.

One tip that most average consumer aren’t aware of has to do with how you tip your server. Of course, when you’re finished with a meal, after paying with a credit card, and you’re brought your tab, it’s easiest to just tip on your credit card. Sometimes you just have to tip with your credit card. But if you really want to be nice, and you really want to impress your server, and do something a little extra, you can pay the tab with a credit card, and tip them in cash.

Essentially, all credit card tips are taxed immediately, so cash tips are preferable, because they aren’t immediately taxed. Servers have to claim those tips, and then that tax is taken out of their paychecks later on. Essentially you could be saving your server a little bit of money by paying in cash, and it’s sort of an insider trick that will make them know you respect them and are looking out for their best interest. Of course it’s not necessary, and it’s an over the top consideration, but it’s just a secret of the restaurant gig I thought might be worth sharing, if you’re looking to know exactly how to tip.

Gratuity

It is unfortunately still the mentality of many people who partake in restaurants and bars still say things like, “A tip isn’t preferred but not required!” or “Part of the word ‘gratuity’ means you don’t have to do it!” It is unfortunate that people still feel this way. While that fact may be considered technically true, you’re not required to leave a tip, it’s an awful thing to do.

People in the waitering and waitressing industry aren’t often paid a livable wage just on their salary alone. They depend on tips to literally survive. So to say that it isn’t required, is like saying well people don’t have to eat three meals a day. You’re essentially depriving someone of their livelihood for your own purposes. It’s selfish to not tip just based on the fact that it isn’t required. The other thing about not tipping, is that almost every time, waiters and waitresses are required to tip out bartenders, food runners, and bussers at the end of their shift.

They’re often required to tip out a certain percentage to these other restaurant employees based on their sales at the end of an evening. So if they don’t get tipped on certain bills, not only are their wages suffering, but so are the wages of the people around them. In the case of poor service, a bad tip, or the lack of a tip can be seen as a normal thing to do, but remember the consequences of not tipping, and try to acquiesce to the customary tipping methods, to ensure good service at institutions for yourself in the future, and just to feel like you’re a good person!

Included Gratuity

When you visit a restaurant with five or more people, it’s a good idea to check your tab at the end of the night. Often, to preserve an appropriate tip for their employees, restaurants implement a policy where they add an included gratuity to the tab of something like 15-18 percent. Often when one person pays and the bill gets bigger, it gets a little tougher for people to tip that whole 20 percent tip, and they tip less than is customary.

Just a heads up to patrons everywhere, as sometimes people will accidentally tip on top of an included gratuity, and you can imagine why a server might not complain or bring that to the attention of the table. So it’s worth checking on to make sure you don’t tip doubly.